Staff Spotlight: Christine Stocker, Director of Operations

Running a luxury property like the Wickaninnish Inn is a complex and challenging job. Making it look effortless is even more demanding. Yet somehow, Christine Stocker pulls it off, day after day.

Indeed, Christine is as much a part of the Inn as the hand-hewn beams and the surrounding scenery. She was one of the first employees Charles hired, back in 1995, and despite a short break in the late ’90s, has been the driving force behind the Inn’s daily operations for the last 14 years.

“Christine is the backbone of our team,” says Charles. “I am always impressed with her ability to be aware of all the happenings at the Inn, know each team member so well and her attention to the small, yet ever-so-important, details of running an Inn. We are all truly indebted to her for her on-going dedication to the Wick and our team.”

The two first met when she was the Front Office Manager at Vancouver’s Delta Place Hotel. When Charles told her about his idea for a West Coast luxury inn, she was immediately enchanted.

Christine was an integral part of the opening team of the Inn. Prior to opening the Inn’s doors to guests, Christine was in charge of selecting many the unique room amenities and furniture, planning for staffing needs and structuring the day to day operations in all departments. In fact, she created most of the procedures and standards that are still followed at the Inn today.

One of Christine’s key strengths is managing and motivating team members, making sure the right people are in the right positions. She also has a strong background managing hotel room inventory, and it was a skill that certainly helped in the early years before the Inn gained the recognition it has today.

In her spare time – and yes, she does have some – Christine is a passionate yoga enthusiast and recently achieved her yoga instructor certification. She’s also a dedicated road cyclist, and you can often see her riding over the summit on Highway 4 from Port Alberni to Tofino.

But most of the time you’ll see her at the Inn, making sure everything is running as it should.

“The team at the Inn are like swans, regal, steady and calm above the water. But under the water, where no one can see, their feet are paddling like crazy,” she says. “Guests see our team floating gracefully through their days. I see the energy and strength it takes to keep those swans gliding effortless along in perfect harmony.”